Dallas Morning News: Holston Named Executive Director of HRI

Dallas attorney William O. Holston Jr. to lead Human Rights Initiative of North Texas

Robert Miller

romiller@dallasnews.com

Published: 24 January 2012 09:11 PM

Dallas attorney William O. Holston Jr. has been named executive director of the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas Inc., which provides free legal representation and social services to clients who have fled persecution and come to North Texas.

Since 1987, Holston has provided pro bono legal representation for political and religious asylum applicants from 18 countries, and he has volunteered his services for the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas for the past 10 years.

In 1995, the Human Rights Initiative gave him its Angel of Freedom Award to honor his commitment to pro bono clients. Because of a gift from two of his clients, Charlie and Meredith Stimson, the Human Rights Initiative’s pro bono program is named after Holston.

“We feel fortunate that Mr. Holston has joined HRI as CEO,” said Robert Graham, board chairman of the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas. “Bill is particularly well-suited to lead HRI into the future, and he has demonstrated through years of service to HRI a deep commitment to serving our clients and a true passion for HRI’s mission.”

Human Rights Initiative clients are often fleeing countries where they were imprisoned and tortured for their religious beliefs or political opinions. Its women’s and children’s program provides assistance to victims of domestic abuse, human trafficking and crime.

“Our clients come to America with nothing but the clothes on their backs,” Holston said. “They are prohibited from working and not entitled to government benefits but have taken huge risks so they have a chance at freedom and safety in our country.

“Our new challenges include providing social services to clients through our pro bono lawyers, doctors and other volunteers. We need to provide increasing social services, especially given the huge backlog of cases in immigration court.”

Before joining the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas, Holston was a partner in the Sullivan & Holston law firm. He is a member of the Transition to Law group of the Dallas Bar Association, which mentors young lawyers. He earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Human Rights Initiative was founded in 1999 by attorney Elizabeth “Betsy” Healy and social worker Serena Simmons Connelly.

It has two main programs: the asylum program and the women’s and children’s program.

The asylum program helps refugees who have fled to the United States because of persecution or the fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a social group.

The women’s and children’s program assists immigrant women and children who are victims of violence, abuse and neglect.